Automatic air-valve.



G. 1). HOFFMAN.

AUTOMATIC AIR VALVE.

urmonmx mm we. 20, 1901.

Patented Sept. 22. 1908.

E G v RgasDELss H In non-u flfl ll A, mulunmngm;

l l l l a 1 i GEORGE DELOS HOV STATES l \T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that- I, Gannon DliLos Horr- MAN, a citizen of the United States of .-\merica, residing temporarily in the borough of Manhattan, city and State of New York, United States of America, have invented a new and useful Automatic Air-Valve; and I do hereby declare the following to bee full, clear, and exact description of the same.

The present improvements relate to\auto lnatic air valves (especially those applied to steam radiators) wherein water, due to condensing of steam, is used to operate a float carrying a valve, and wherein the differences in temperature of the air or steam in a radiator, cause expansion and contraction of air in an 2Lll'-Ullttll1l.)8l' for the purpose of raising and lowering the level of the water in the float-chamber.

The object of the invention is to provide such an automatic air alve with an improved form of siphon, in order to remove sur )lus water from the float-chamber and to learlsuch surplus to the radiator, and with means additional to and separate from the siphon, which is of great value in the operat-ion of the device.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 indicates a vertical section on line 11 of Fig. 2, through one form of automatic air valve embodying my present improvements; Fig. 2 is a cross-section, on the line 22 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

The device shown comprises essentially an outer casing, an inner casing, a top provided with a valve and a bottom, a drainage chamber within said outer casing anda siphon in the inner casing and in the drainage chamber,

a radiator-nipple, and a separatepipe in said drainage-chamber and leading towards the nipple.

A indicates the outer casing, cylindrical in shape, and B indicates the innercasing, concentric with that first named and' provided with a longitudinal depres ion or rib. Between the two mentioned casings, a ring-like air-chamber, ais provided. which is internipted, as hereinafter described, by a drainage-chamber. The inner casiugB comprises and provides a float-chamber b, and the airchamber is connected as usual with the iloatchamber, near its bottom. by an openingb' in the casing B. A bottom and a top, of usual construction, are provided, the-latter havmg Specification of Letters Patent. App 5am filed August so, 1907. Sejrial No. 390,727.

o CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, a coarnu'rion or tumors.

AUTOMATIC AIR-v VE.

Patented Sept. 22, 1908.

a port Y. which is closed, or opened to the desired extent, by a valve carried upon the up per end of a float in the float-chamber. This latter chamber, near its top, also communicates, by an opening D, in the upper part or end of the longitudinal depression or rib, with the upper end of a drainage-chain ber E, of sheet metal bent to-shape to form a narrow casing, the length of which substantially equals the spacebetween the inner and outer-casings and which, while it includes the depression or rib aforesaid, is entirely included in ttlltkClOSQtl from the air-chamber. At its lower nd, the drainage-chamber E opens into and constitutes a continuation of the opening through a radiator-nipple G, extending outwardly from the outer casing near the. lower endfgof the device, and the exterior of which nipple is threaded for screw engagement with a radiator. The air chamber ais entirely shut oil from the nipple G.

A cap X. mainly or iamental, is screwed to the upper end of the device, and is provided with an opening a: for the escape of air and steam.

WVithin the drainage-chamber E, I house one end the longer leg) of a siphon F, the inner or shorter end of which, after passing through the opening D, depends into the depression or I'll) of the float-chamber to a point (about) midway of the length thereof, while the outer end or leg of such siphon leads towards and its outer end,f, preferably stops short of and does not enter the opening through the radiator-iii )ple.

In practice, I have ound that a siphon, even when complete, does not, when used alone, (and especially when inclined towards or alined with the opening of the radiatornipple) always give satisfactory results for the urpose of removing surplus water from the t oat-chamber. In a companion application, Serial No. 390KB tiled Aug. 30, 1907, I

i ATEN OFFICE.

YORK, Y., ASSIGNOR TO NORWALL MANUFAGTURIXG have shown the employment, of a pipe addiat the uoper partof the opening of the radiator-nipp e without (pro erably) projecting i i v from said nipple, while the upper open end it of said pipe stops short of but level (preferably) with the opening D.

The addition of pipe II, especially when bent as shown (in conjunction with a siphon the outer leg whereof stops short of the nipplc) is highly important, as the steam and air entering from the radiator apparently tend to pass upwardly through the pipe to be delivered to opening D, and this result balances the pressure between the radiator and the inner chamber b, and thus permits a freer discharge from said siphon.

Upon first use of the device, steam enters (from the radiator) through nipple G, and, after passing upwardly through drainagechamber, E, and through pipe H therein, en-

ters the float-chamber b and escapes through port Y. The condensation of steam in the float-chamber soon produces enough water therein to raise the float C and cut off the escape of steam through port 1', The heating of .the air-chamber (1, during the operation aforesaid, has rarefied the air in that chamber and caused escape of some air through 0 )e'ning I) and by way of port Y. Upcn a su se( nent cooling of the device, the contraction o the air in chamber (1. draws water thereinto from the float-chamber, and the float descends and again opens port Y, again permitting escape of steam, a consequent re-heating of the air-chamber, an expansion of air therein, and transfer of water therefrom to the float-chamber and the liftin of the float and seating of the carried va ve.

It frequently happens that a radiator, while venting, discharges water and, under this condition, the water surges against the airvalve. In ordinary float valves, the

valve attached to the float closes a port (as Y), and the valve remains closed and the radiatorpartially cold. \Yith my construction, however, the valve, while freely venting the air from the radiator, closes against water (as with ordinary valves) and remains closed as long as water remains against the valve; but the instant the water in the radiator falls away from the valve, the siphon automaticallv discharges the water (from chamber b) back to the radiator, and the -valve re-commences venting.

No matter how frequently water may come to the valve, the latter will instantly close tightly against leakage therethrough; and the instant the water falls in the radiator, the siphon always automatically begins its work.

What I claim is: 1. In an automatic air-valve, a casing comprising a float-chamber and an a1 r-cham ber connected with the lower part of said floabchamber, a dramage cham er connectedat 1ts upper end with the flea t-chamber, a.

radiator-nipple extend-ing outwardly from the drainagc-chamber, and a siphon, having its inner leg in the float-chamber and leading therefrom, and with its outer leg within the drainage-chamber and sto ping short of the opening through said nipp e.

2. In an automatic fllF- ftlYB, a casing comprising a float-chamb r and an air-cham her connected withthe lower part of said float-chamber, a drahinge-chamber entirely closed from the air-chamber and connected at its upper end with the float-chamber, a radiator-nipple extending outwardly from the drainage-chamber, a siphon leading fmm the float-chamber aforesaid and with its outer leg in the drainage-chamber and stopping short of the opening through said nipple, and a separate pipe extending downwardly within said drainage chamber and with its lower end extending outwardly and within the opening of said nipple.

3. In an automatic air-valve, a casirg comprising a float-chamber and an air-chamber connected with the lower part of said float-chamber, a dmillage-chamber entirely closed from the air-chamber and connected at its upper end with said float-chamber; a radiator-nipple extending outwardly from said drainage-chamber, a siphon having its inner leg depending into the float-chamber, and with its outer leg in the drainage-chamber leading towards and stopping short of the opening through the nipple, and a. separate pipe having its lower end outwardly extend mg within said nipple-opening and said pipe leading upwardl within the drainage-chaise ber towards am stopping short of the connection with the float-chamber.

4. In an automatic air-valve, a casing comprising a float-chamber, a drainagechamber, a radiator-nipple hailing to the drainage-chamber and extending from the outside of said casing, an air-chamber con nected with said float-chamber, and closed from said nipple, a siphon having its inner leg within the float-chamber for discharging into the drainage-chamber towards the opening of said nipple, and a separate pipe connected with the float-chamber above the inner leg of the siphon.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE DELOS HOFFMAN.

\Vitnesses:

Wat. II. Bnnmoax, Joux II. IIovIxG. 

